Description
A cozy and creamy chicken and wild rice soup featuring tender shredded chicken, a wild rice blend, and fresh vegetables, thickened to a silky texture and brightened with lemon juice. Perfect for cold-weather comfort and easy weeknight meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion (diced)
- ½ cup celery stalk (diced)
- ½ cup carrots (thinly sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ tablespoon fresh thyme (chopped)
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 5 cups chicken stock
Main Ingredients
- ½ cup wild rice mix (recommended Lundberg’s Wild Blend®)
- 1 ½ cups cooked and shredded chicken (like rotisserie)
Thickening and Finishing
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat the oil: Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Sauté vegetables: Add the diced onion, celery, and sliced carrots to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add aromatics and season: Stir in the minced garlic, chopped thyme, and rosemary sprigs, cooking for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper if using.
- Add stock and deglaze: Pour in the chicken stock, reserving a small splash for the cornstarch slurry later. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add rice and chicken: Stir in the wild rice mix and shredded chicken. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender with a chewy texture.
- Make slurry and thicken: Whisk the reserved chicken stock with cornstarch until smooth. Stir this slurry into the soup along with the heavy cream. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes until the soup thickens and becomes glossy, adding the slurry gradually until it just coats the spoon.
- Finish and season: Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed.
- Serve: Serve the soup warm with crusty bread. If the soup thickens upon resting, loosen it up with a splash of warm chicken stock. For best texture when reheating leftovers, add slurry and cream after reheating.
Notes
- This hearty soup is a perfect cold-weather comfort food that works well for quick weeknight dinners or make-ahead lunches.
- For a thicker soup, add more slurry gradually but avoid making it too thick; it should be silky and coat the spoon lightly.
- Use a wild rice blend like Lundberg’s Wild Blend® for a good texture and flavor.
- If reheating leftovers, add the slurry and cream after warming the soup to maintain the best texture.
- Serve with crusty bread for a complete and satisfying meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 268 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 331 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 43 mg
